UAB was one of college football's feel-good stories long before their 23-22 upset of Louisiana Tech Saturday, but what transpired at the Blazers' homecoming was truly special.

The team honored patients and Children's Harbor Hospital, which abuts the UAB campus, by wearing the names of child patients on the backs of their jerseys.

How's this for karma: UAB won by a point because Louisiana Tech missed two extra points and because UAB blocked a 30-yard field goal attempt with 3 seconds left.

With that, coach Bill Clark, who like 19 member of this team sat out two years so they could stay at the school when it suspended football, is a mid-season candidate for national coach of the year after his team went to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in Conference USA.

"Obviously it’s kind of hard to put into words what it meant to our program," Clark said. "The Children’s Harbor event could not have gone any better with the uniforms and jerseys and the way that turned out.

"We really got to recognize those kids who have passed and are present and got to be involved with that organization and those kids. You can’t put into words how special that was.

"Our players recognized that early on when we started talking about what we wanted to do and it turned out better than I hoped. We got to recognize those kids two weeks ago and our guys knew the whole time who they were playing for. They talked about it before the game, during timeouts, on the sidelines. Then getting to recognize one of them after the game in locker room, it was a special game."

Adjusting

UTEP coach Mike Price has made several small changes to practices, such as starting them five minutes earlier, running them a few minutes longer and changing up practice jersey colors. He also uses a bullhorn for occasional comments to players.

"It was a good practice," he said Wednesday. "I'm on them consistently, trying to get more reps. I don't want them thinking, I want them playing football, getting reps.

"They are a loyal bunch of kids, and loyalty is something you don't develop in one day."

FAU also flying

In any other year Florida Atlantic's Lane Kiffin would be a front runner in discussion for C-USA coach of the year. His team improved to 2-0 in league and 3-3 overall with a 58-28 stomping of Old Dominion, a week after an 18-point whipping of Middle Tennessee.

"We did a lot of really good things in the game," said Old Dominion, Kiffin said. "I was very proud of the players for handling success. This was the first time that I feel like we played really well and then came back the next week and played really well. That was good to see."

Rivals?

West leader North Texas hosts UTSA for the fifth time since both joined the league and Mean Green coach Seth Littrell thinks this game is starting to become a rivalry.

"There's a history there," Littrell said. "In 2013, they came in and broke a five-game winning streak for us. There's definitely history there and our players understand that. It'll be a great challenge.

"With these rivalry games, it doesn't matter. You go out there and compete and throw everything out the door with the past. It's about who's going to show up and play the best. ...

"I look at it (the rivalry) as it's growing into one with the history we've had and the fact it's an in-state school. We recruit against each other. We compete against each other. I think any time you have a school like that, there's some type of rivalry to it."

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at 546-6359; bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @bretbloomquist on Twitter.

UTEP linebackers Alvin Jones (16) and Dante Lovilotte team up to tackle Western Kentucky tight end Deon Yelder Saturday in the first half of their game at the UTEP Sun Bowl.
MARK LAMBIE / EL PASO TIMES